抄録
Generally, a drug candidate is dropped due to its lack of efficacy or unacceptable toxicity. However, the efficacy and toxicity of new drug candidates are usually evaluated in animals. When a drug candidate is used in humans, the expected effects and side effects are different from those seen in animals. Although various kinds of human-derived cells have been used to improve the potential of drug candidates, their availability is limited and reactivity is dependent on the age, sex, and medical history of the donor. Stable supply and quality control are the major problems associated with the use of human-derived cells. Thus, the use of differentiated cells produced from multipotent cells with indefinite proliferative potential is expected to be a turning point in drug discovery. Presently, basic technologies for differentiating human embryonic stem (ES) cells and inducing pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to various cells have been established for neural and myocardial cells. In the present report, we summarize the current status of research on ES and iPS cells for application as tools in drug discovery.
